Vegetarian Three Beans Cook-Up Rice is a perfect way to enjoy Guyanese cook-up rice. It’s packed with flavor and protein and is a great beginners dish. Use this as a base for other cook-up versions. Use different combinations of peas and beans or add some vegetables to take this one pot meal to new heights.Guyanese Split Peas Cook-Up Rice
Guyanese Ital Cook-Up
Typically cook-up rice is a combination of bean, meat and rice. When there is no meat many people call it peas and rice. When it is beans and other veggies it is called an ital. This vegetarian three bean cook-up rice falls in the category of either peas and rice / rice and peas or ital.
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Three Bean Cook-Up Rice Recipe
- Simple: This recipe is a simple beginner friendly way to enjoy a Guyanese favorite. You make it with canned or dried beans.
- Plant Forward: This plant forward recipe offers vegetarians a tasty protein packed one pot comfort meal.
- Flavorful: Although this dish is meat free, it has a similar flavor profile to traditional cook-up rice. Rich and creamy coconut milk, thyme and basil shine in this dish.
Ingredients
This dish combines beans, rice, a few pantry ingredients and fresh aromatics cooked in coconut milk.
- Guyanese Ital Cook-Up
- Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Three Bean Cook-Up Rice Recipe
- Ingredients
- How to make Vegetarian Three Bean Cook-up Rice
- Using dried beans or canned beans for this recipe.
- Variations
- Instant Pot Instructions
- Step by Step Video Tutorial
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Instant Pot Vegetarian Three Bean Cook-up Rice
- Rice: The base of this dish. I prefer jasmine rice, but basmatti and parboiled rice also works in this recipe.
- Aromatics and Herbs: Use onions, garlic, tomatoes, Guyanese dried and thai basil for a sweet and aromatic flavor
- Peas/Beans: Black-eyed peas, chick-peas and red beans makes this dish protein packed.
- Coconut Milk: Rich full fat coconut milks add a bit of creamy texture to this dish.
- Cassareep (optional): This optional ingredient adds a bit of color to the dish
- Oil: A neutral tasting oil is needed to sauté the aromatics.
- Wiri Wiri Peppers: Keep whole for flavor or chop up for heat.
See recipe card for exact measurements and instructions.
How to make Vegetarian Three Bean Cook-up Rice
Here’s how I make this simple Vegetarian Three Bean Cook-up Rice. I start by sautéing the onions, tomatoes and garlic until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
Then I add the cooked beans and dried thyme, then continue to cook for another minute or two, to bring the flavors together.
Next I add in the washed rice and mix to combine, then cook for another minute or two to toast the rice a bit before adding in any liquids.
Finally I add in the coconut milk and all the other ingredients, keeping the wiri wiri peppers whole for flavor. I mix everything well, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low for to allow the cook-up rice to simmer.
For the stove top version I used canned peas and beans to make it easier but for the instant pot version I used dried peas and beans. I used some of may favorites, black-eyed peas, chick peas (channa) and kidney beans. But you can use pigeon peas, black beans, red beans even split peas. They all work with this recipe.
Using dried beans or canned beans for this recipe.
I’ve made this recipe with dried beans, that I soaked and cooked as well as canned beans. I don’t have a preference for one over another. Do what makes sense for the time you have.
When using dried beans I prefer to soak my beans first. Even if you soak them for just a few hours! However, soaking over night is even better. Here is a great NY Times article on how to soak beans and why soaking beans is important. If using the same combination of beans that I used, kidney beans and chick peas require a bit more cooking before they are tender enough to eat so I always soak those two together and the black eyed peas separately. I also pressure cook the kidney beans and the chick peas first until they are a little tender, then I add the black eyed peas.
Variations
This three bean cook-up rice is a perfect base for so many delicious cook-up rice combinations:
- Use different peas and beans: Switch up the peas and beans for a different flavor profile. Try pigeon peas, split peas, a combination of peas and beans or just one peas or beans.
- Add Vegetables: Pumpkin, okro/a and callaloo (spinach) are typically added for a delicious Ital cook up
- Skip the peas and beans: Don’t like beans? Skip them all together, and add callaloo and pumpkin for some delicious callaloo cook-up rice
- Add Protein: If you are not vegetarian you can add any protein or combination of protein. Some great options for cook-up rice are pig tails, salt beef (corned beef), salt fish, beef, chicken, lamb. Seriously, anything! Check out my recipe for classic Guyanese Cook-up Rice here.
Instant Pot Instructions
I’ve been really enjoying how quick and easy the instant pot makes life! I’ve been making all of my cook-up rice dishes in there and it cuts out a lot of stress standing stirring a pot. For the instant pot you can even cook peas and beans that aren’t soaked, although I prefer soaking my peas and beans. For this recipe I recommend cooking the kidney beans and chick peas in the instant pot first. Then adding all the other ingredients. Kidney beans and chick peas take a longer time to pressure cook than black eyed peas and this method ensures all the ingredients are evenly cooked for best results. See recipe card for detailed step by step.
Step by Step Video Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
For most people Ital is specifically made by Rastafarian. It is animal product free (vegan) and is also salt free. However someone people use the word ital whenever a dish doesn’t have meat.
Instant Pot Vegetarian Three Bean Cook-up Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Oil (suitable for cooking)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 2 tomatoes (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (grated)
- 1/4 cup kidney beans (canned or dried)
- 1/2 cup black-eyed peas (canned or dried)
- 1/4 cup chick peas (garbanzo beans) (canned or dried)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (or salt to taste)
- 1 tbsp dried thyme (Guyanese thyme preferably)
- 2 cups Jasmine Rice (washed and drained)
- 1 cup coconut milk full fat
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp cassareep (optional)
- 5 thai basil leaves (chopped)
- 2 wiri wiri peppers
Special Equipment
Instructions
Stove Top
- Add a large heavy bottom pot to medium heat and when the pot is hot, add the oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and cook until the onions are soft (about 1 minutes).
- Next add the tomatoes and cook until soft (about 2 minutes). Then add the grated garlic and continue to cook for another minute before adding in all of the peas and beans, thyme and salt. Mix to combine, then continue to cook for another minute or two.
- Then add in the washed rice and mix well. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes stirring often, to toast the rice a bit before adding the coconut milk, water, cassareep (if you are using), thai basil and wiri wiri peppers.
- Finally bring the pot up to a boil (uncovered), then reduce the heat to low, cover and allow the dish to simmer until the rice is fully cooked. This should take about 30 minutes. Then fluff with a fork and mix well before serving.
Instant Pot
- Set instant pot to sauté and when it is hot add the oil. When the oil is hot add the onion, garlic and tomatoes and sauté for about 1 minute.
- Then add the kidney beans and the chickpeas, salt and 2 cups of water. Next take the instant pot out of sauté mode, seal the instant pot up and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes
- Once the pressure cooking cycle completes vent the instant pot using the rapid release function, then add all of the remaining ingredients(except the wiri wiri peppers).
- Seal up the instant pot and pressure cook on high for another 30 minutes. Once the pressure cycle completes vent the instant pot using the rapid release function. Then fluff the rice with a fork and mix well so that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Serve hot.
Notes
- Preparing the dried peas:
I wash and soak my peas in boiling hot water for at least 2 hours (or overnight if time allows) before cooking.
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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David R Dhani Says
She can cook gud!!
Looking for more plant-based protein recipes
David R Dhani Says
She can cook gud!!
Lisa Says
This looks so good! I only have canned beans but would love to use the instant pot instead of stove top method. Have you ever tried that? Thanks!
Marissa Says
What can you use instead of cassareep?
Althea Brown Says
You can use coconut aminos (my recommendation) burnt sugar (also called browning), soy sauce or teriyaki sauce or just skip it all together.
Carolyn Says
I found this cook up recipe years ago! I’ve been vegetarian for 8-9yrs and miss eating the things I grew up on! I love this recipe so much and my family of meat eaters always are in my plate when I cook it!
Althea Brown Says
It’s a great classic. Thanks for sharing.
Nicola Williams Says
Do you have this recipe for the instantpot?
Althea Brown Says
Check out my instant pot rice and peas recipe. Instead of a can of pigeon peas use the peas listed in this recipe. You can even use the seasonings listen in this recipe. Just the use the amount of coconut milk and cook time from the instant pot rice and peas recipe.